X-DREAMERS [mission 01: ash and sand]

Eto · August 28, 2018

[ afterword : theo -- ; ]

As the monster shrieks, recoiling from the blow, Theo breaks apart Legios until he is holding dual spears once more. Fully prepared to attack again if need be, the knight stands at the ready and narrows his eyes, feeling the excitement of battle vibrate through his form in anticipation of an attack --

That is not to be. Arch's holy light fills the room, intertwining with the monster's calls, and then the creature scatters backwards frantically before dissipating into sand that scatters throughout the room, catching the reflection off of what little light streamed into the shop.

Theo lets out a breath he had not known he was holding, the tension in his shoulders dropping as he raises himself up to his full height, feeling the magic running through his blood come to a steady rest in the afterglow of war. Staring suspiciously at the seemingly innocent sand lying still between the cracks of the clockshop floor, he surveys their surroundings one last time.

In the background, there is the sound of their teammates moving; checking in after the battle, trying to communicate with others of their mission. However, Theo brushes this aside and instead turns towards the direction of his husband, stopping only when he realises that Arch is already speaking to him.

He blinks.

Usually he would not be this slow on the uptake, and it is not as if he is a stranger to battle -- no, he has lived many years and fought many demons, but perhaps a combination of their new environment and such strange creatures has him on edge. Theo forces himself to relax -- it is over now, and Arch is by his side. He does not want to turn around to only emptiness ever again.

With a quick spark of red lightning, Legios disappears as the lightning travels up his arms and disappears. Without a word, Theo takes Arch's hand in his own.

"I'm fine," he confirms, accompanied by a quick smile. He runs his thumb along the back of Arch's hand, feeling the smooth skin underneath, before a thought occurs. In the chaos of battle it is hard to remember exactly what happened, but he is nothing but attentive towards the people -- or person -- that matter.

"Your wing," he says, shifting in an attempt to catch sight of Arch's -- now folded -- wings. "Are you okay?"

--

Edited April 29, 2020 by Edelgard

Mikasa361 · August 28, 2018

Lara’s heart broke some when he pat her head. All of that grief, all of that pain, just for a simple headpat when all is said and done? What was she, a bloody child?

Ah, yes. She was young, too young for him. There was no way Stan would fall for her, she was basically a child to him. He worried over her like a father over his daughter, and that was all she would ever be to him. Nothing more than just. A. Bloody. Child. While she refused to allow it to show outside, there was no way one couldn’t see the little glimmer of hurt in her usually stoic brown eyes. She sighed and put her fingers to her temple when Duke didn’t respond. Of course it was a source of concern for her, since she didn’t like to lose her teammates. Did anybody, though? ...Perhaps Badu, if it meant using the body as a test subject. She supposed Badu never gave a damn either way.

Lara sighed and took out her own cube. She wondered if there was a tracking system for the devices, considering Pascal was very tech savvy. Perhaps there was, but barely knowing how to handle the device, Lara wasn’t going to be able to find it herself. But if this thing was able to detect where the anchors were, why couldn’t find Duke and the others? It only made sense, didn’t it? What did she know, she was from a more technologically primitive time period than, say, Stan. Hell, there were those she knew who were more primitive than she, but at the same time… there were people who were much more savvy. Who knew how well Lara would be able to navigate this damn cube in future missions? ...Ah, well, she was just going to have to keep using it in order to get better. She’d get there, eventually.

TehUltimateMage · August 30, 2018

#Jowan#

Dynarst eyes widen. He gets really excited at Jowan's show of magic, those flame he sparked without a match and were now burning on his hand without hurting him. "See, see? There it is!" he exclaims, pointing with enthusiasm. "The Duke's abilities aren't this exactly, but to create blue walls that turn invisible. But you get the gist."

Both Grigor and Rhonda had frozen and looked at the mage, the former in shock and the later with the fear that he'd burn the house down. "No," says Grigor. "I don't think people can do that here."

They watched silently as their guest continued to eat, digesting the implications of things from other worlds and having a universe to save. When Jowan got up to fetch something from his companion's clothes, Grigor mutters to Dynarst, "Saving universes by retrieving items? That's on a whole 'nother level... And here you thought rebellion was far-fetched."

"Rebellion is," Dynarst snorts. "At least, everything that you've been doing up till now. There's no way a group of ragtag skaa can even stand a chance against the trained Garrison and turn itself on Luthadel. Yeden's insane, and we both know it."

"But you think two guys from another earth can do it," Grigor scoffs back. He lowers his voice. "And you think they'll just do that for us for free?"

Jowan made the five or so steps back towards them, and both Dynarst and Grigor sit up straight again, in silence. The otherworldly man held a strange block in his hand about the size of a big potato, white and perfectly cube-like with rounded corners, and fiddled with it in his hands, unsure of how to use it.

Then the cube spoke. Dynarst jumps at the noise; even Grigor is taken a little aback.

"Duke?" The cube calls. "Duke, are you there? Status report." Dynarst stares at Jowan, expecting the other man to know what to do. "Anyone there hearing this?" The cube continues. "Please answer. Just lean in and speak normally at the non-threatening cube."

"You do it," Dynarst urgently whispers to the mage.

Kiran · August 31, 2018

Jowan [ should have just let it go to voicemail ]

"Duke? Duke, are you there? Status report."

The cube slipped from Jowan’s hands and he fumbled with it, struggling to catch it. It bounced off of his fingertips and clattered to the floor. He stared at it, hands still outstretched.

"Anyone there hearing this? Please answer. Just lean in and speak normally at the non-threatening cube."

"You do it,"

Well. Did he have to? Because he really didn’t want to explain that in the short time they’d been away Duke had promised to aid a local revolution, fought two guards, destroyed a bridge, and fallen unconscious.

Seeing that no one else was going to touch the cube he leaned down and picked it up. He held it too close to his mouth when he spoke. “Uh, this is Jowan, hello. Duke is…” he paused, trying to think of a way to put it delicately. “Unconscious right now. But we’re safe!” He moved the cube away from his mouth (though it was still close enough for Stan to hear) and turned his head towards Grigor. “We are safe, right?” he stage-whispered before moving the cube back to his mouth and confirming, “We’re safe,” without waiting for an answer. "There were... some complications, but Cistina ran after the anchor?"

Edited August 31, 2018 by Zor

TehUltimateMage · September 6, 2018

#Yusei#

Elise dropped her arms to her sides and stepped out of his way, her mouth agape as Fudo mulled over his cards and summoned another creature. She didn't expect him to offer his help upfront, much less act right away. What game was he playing? Instead of binding him into helping her, she was now contractually obligated to help him! If it didn't mean that the ball could go on tonight -- meaning she got what she wanted, in the end -- she would have felt a lot more insulted by his good nature.

She twirls a lock of hair absently as he calls her out on her actions, a look of uncertainty crossing her eyes. Even if he knew about the emotional Allomancy all along, he still chose to help her.

He really was from another world, she scoffed to herself. No one here in this town of vultures could be this nice.

"There's a Soother nearby," she admits, the lie weaving itself seamlessly out of habit. "That's another kind of Allomancy. Just like how Ironpullers can pull metals towards them by burning iron, Soothers can use brass to push on emotions." She presses the palm of one hand into the palm of the other to make a squishing gesture. "Suppressing them. Emotional Allomancers can't create emotions -- only enhance or suppress what's already there."

All eyes were on the miracle that the stranger performed. Even without the prompting of brass or zinc, all her men were staring in awe at the green, bull-horned golem. It effortlessly lifted the wall, which Yusei then sealed with arcane magic -- a spell. Even squinting, Elise couldn't tell where the keep had been broken in the first place.

A few heartbeats pass. "Thank you," she finally says, slumping her shoulders. A subtle movement: not her typical, dramatic manner. "Genuinely."

Edited September 6, 2018 by TehUltimateMage

TehUltimateMage · September 14, 2018

Stan -- Clock shop

Following a long pause and what Stan thought was urgent whispering on the other end of the device, a voice piped up in his earpiece. He winced from the volume and held his phone a little further from his ear to listen to Jowan explain the situation. Jowan! The new guy. How come it was always the new guys who were the most reliable of the bunch? There seemed to be other voices too, on the other end, as if Jowan wasn't alone. He just hoped they were friendly locals, and not because Jowan was being held hostage or anything (which, the more he thought about, the more likely it seemed that were the case).

"That's good, as long as that dumbass is still alive," Stan replied. Duke was probably just exhausted by his magic, which always happened when he bit off more than he could chew. "I ain't Natsuki, so I won't press you for details. We got the other anchor, so we're on our way to where you are. Sit tight! And keep a lookout for a four winged guy. In the meantime, I'll see if I can reach Cistina."

He lowered his phone and put that call on hold. "Arch?" he called the angel. Seeing that he was having a tender moment with his husband, Stan glanced aside and added, "and Theo."

The man took a few seconds to think of the best way to explain the concept of technology to these medieval fantasy-looking dudes. "You know the cube Badu gave you, right? If you flip it around to one of the sides and shake it a bit, you can see a display with red dots, which represent the trackers built into everyone's cubes. The big dot is you. There should be one dot that's far away from the cluster, and I'd like you to fly in the direction of that faraway dot and make sure the rest of our party is alright. How many people can you carry? Take whoever you want, and the rest of us will catch up on foot."

"And after we get that done," he sighed and slumped his shoulders in exhaustion, "we'll head back home for a nice hot shower to get rid of all this soot."

"Wait," Cam suddenly spoke up, snapping out of her stupor. "You're just going to leave after this?" she asks. Her voice was weak but still managed to communicate her indignation. "There's still so much... left here... The sand, the monsters, everything... And if there are other powers out there, can you fix the skaa, too?"

Stan's expression hardened. As much as he wanted to dust his hands of all of this now that they had the thing, Twilight would drill them into fixing the world properly once they got back to base. "We're just taking a break to regroup," which was true, "and we'll be back in the evening."

"Up for a little more walking?" he gave a half-smile to the group. "We're almost done."

~~~

#Jowan#

"They're coming here?" Grigor asked, eyes wide. "First of all, how, and second of all, they'd better do it discreetly else we'll have the actual Garrison at our door, or worse yet, an inquisitor." Giving a hard look at Dynarst, he added, "If the Duke hasn't already got an inquisitor on his tail already. This is a safehouse -- if they sniff out our location then us, and everyone who relies on us, is done for."

Dynarst remembered Lefevre's strange friends in that alleyway, and it was hard to forget the massive wings of the glowing, clean angel. Mists, was that only a couple hours ago? So much had happened since they had split up. "I think the angel they're sending can take on an inquisitor," he thought out loud, ignoring the bulk of Grigor's concerns.

Mikasa361 · September 14, 2018

Lara was still quite hurt. She didn’t like how Stan just pat her head and started moving along. Ah, yes, treat me like a child and then move RIGHT along. Go on ahead, Stan. Just like I’m your goddamned daughter. Never mind that I love you, you’re just going to toss me to the side like my feelings don’t matter to you. Wait, what did I just think to myself? Lara blinked a few times and stood there, hands on her hips. Stan asked if they were all good with walking. She toyed with the idea of just running off, meeting them at Duke’s later, but maybe getting into some fights along the way. Put herself into some danger, scare Stan again…. but it was all too ridiculous. Why would she lose her mind over something so stupid? It was just a head pat.

But it was that head pat that sent a wave of ire through her body, anger pumping through her body like blood. She had to keep it all in, but there was something about it that damn near broke her heart. Keeping her best composure, though, she took a deep breath. “Alright. But we need to have a little conversation.” She raised her eyebrow. “Preferably, alone.” Her heart raced, she could feel the adrenaline already coursing through her veins. But why was she so afraid to bring this up? Was she so afraid to show how she really felt that the slightest slip-up could leave her shattered? Perhaps, perhaps. Was she scared that Stan would lose any respect for her that he already had? Another perhaps. Perhaps it was the fact that she just didn’t want to confront him, that confronting people in general was an anxiety for her. The many times she had done it before, they were never pleasant, but this was on a whole new level. For her, there were many things at stake, but she decided it was best to have it all play out somewhere away from the others.

TehUltimateMage · September 14, 2018

Stan -- Clock Shop

Unexpectedly, Lara had approached him with the hourglass and just stood there in silence, crossing her arms and waiting, staring at him. It gave him an uncomfortable chill when he looked in her eyes for too long, so he averted his gaze and pretended to look at something else instead.

"Right now?" he answered her request when she finally spoke. What kind of thing would be so urgent? "You sure it can't wait until we're safe back at base?"

Edited September 14, 2018 by TehUltimateMage

Eto · September 14, 2018

[ lost in translation : theo -- ; ]

Arch's skin is warm and real against his own, the angel's face soft in the space reserved only for them. Theo's eyes flutter briefly closed as he feels Arch's lips barely skim the edge of his skin -- a light kiss considering their present situation, but full of meaning nonetheless. The knight takes a shaky breath in, feeling his chest tremble with utter admiration at Arch standing before him, so calm and orderly even in the chaos, and Theo trembles with how much he adores this man.

"It's to protect the people I love," he replies, soft and flexible like the moving rivers -- because he would flow like water in order to bend to Arch's needs, but he knows he cannot lay down his spear just yet. Not when Legios rises in his blood and his fingertips drum with otherworldly energy, devoted to the service of those he holds dear to his heart.

But he will not push onto Arch the same sentiments, not when he understands how entirely the angel's love for humanity devotes him to the light. He may be associated with Shamilla and Ezekiel in a way Arch could never understand, but that is fine -- he does not need Arch to understand, not completely. Only to support him as he will continue to devote himself to the angel.

However, Stan's words interrupt his tirade of thoughts, and Theo takes a second to throw an annoyed glare at the other man. "Carry?" he repeats, half to himself. To think that Stan would request such a task from one of heaven's messengers, and so casually -- the knight feels his blood momentarily boil before he schools himself into a smile at the easy acceptance on Arch's face. Very well. If Arch was insistent on helping these ... X-Dreamers, he will do nothing to make his husband's life harder.

"Medic," he calls instead, turning to -- Badoo? Beydo? -- and staring holes into the woman's plague mask. "My husband is injured. Accompany us to find the missing people." Theo spares a glance, well aware of Arch's presence behind him. "Please." He adds, almost as an afterthought, before turning back to the angel by his side.

"Are you okay?" he asks again, more out of reflex than anything, before shaking himself. Without giving Arch time to speak, he talks again: "Perhaps you can carry ... the medic, and I will keep up on foot. I don't know how helpful this is going to be during flight," he finishes, casting a dubious glance onto his armoured lower half and his various plates of armour. Waiting for Arch's input, Theo looks at the angel anxiously.

Mikasa361 · September 15, 2018

She shook her head. This was something that was going to either get dropped and never get discussed, or something that would eat her from the inside out, hurting her more and more until her psyche was fully messed with. Or both. But she wasn’t about to let something that hurt her this much go. She knew it shouldn’t have been that big of a deal. She knew. Yet somehow, some way, this hurt more than necessary. Lara felt her lip quiver, and she bit it. As angry as she was, she was anxious. She glanced at the ground, then back at Stan. “No, I’m afraid it cannot.”

The fact that her voice was so small shocked her. She was angry, wasn’t she? Certainly she knew how to have a stronger voice than that. But…. her heart sank. All of these emotions all at once, who was she anymore? She hadn’t been this hurt since Henry, who had taken everything away from her when she needed him most. Was this happening again, before anything ever started? It had to have been, this was what she got for letting herself catch feelings with a man so much older than she. Hell, this is what she got for catching feeling at all! What was she, stupid? Stupid stupid stupid! Yes, that’s what she was for putting down her walls! ….Calm down, calm down. This was going to be a civil conversation.

“It can, however, wait until the others get moving.”

TehUltimateMage · September 15, 2018

Stan -- Clock shop

He thought Theo shot him a dirty look, and it turned out that was not his imagination. The lightning dude really did object to Stan ordering his friend around. He sighed, defeated. It wasn't like he had much choice in the matter of giving orders or not, since no one else was. Badu's expression was, as usual, unreadable behind her mask, but she nodded and added with a chuckle, "I am glad you realize how much of an asset I am, uhuhu~"

Lara showed faint signs of urgency when talking to him, but Stan couldn't possibly imagine what would be so important to have it be done right here. He scratched the side of his head absently, mulling over her request but in the end he obliged. "If Arch is taking Badu and Theo is also following along, we'll need to find somewhere to keep Cam safe if we're going to have a... private discussion."

Cam gave him a stare as dark as Theo's, obviously unhappy that she was going to be treated like cargo.

"Hang on, one more thing," he said to Lara. He held up a finger, signalling for her to wait. "I gotta see if I can get ahold of Cistina first."

He quickly found the windy woman's name on the list, well aware of how Lara was waiting for him -- or waiting for everyone else, he couldn't tell -- and with an increasingly nervous pinprickling of sweat he dialed her number. If he were truthful to himself, he would have realized that he was just trying to put off the talk for as long as possible, under the pretense of 'checking in on teammates'.

"Cistina, are you alright?" he spoke into the phone. "Jowan mentioned you were chasing after the anchor. Are you safe?"

TehUltimateMage · October 1, 2018

#Arch#

Cam looks into Arch's eyes, but she can't maintain his deep blue gaze for long. Partly because it was impolite to look into the eyes of the fair-haired nobility, and partly because she was afraid of their complexity. Even in a glance, she was afraid she would get lost in them, trying to decipher his thoughts through those crystalline irises.

'I'm glad to see you are still well.'

I remember the last time someone said that to me.

She grits her teeth and her lips tremble. A mix of emotions choke her throat as he whispers reassuring words in her ear about duty and humanity, and she hates herself for nearly getting moved to tears. She was never the type to cry -- not that her father didn't allow it, but she never felt the need to show her vulnerability in an unforgiving world. Her parents tried to shelter her and her brother using their affluence as craftsmen, but anyone with eyes could see that every day, people just like her were being treated like slaves. There were a lot more worse places to be and a lot more people seeking to drag them down. The less weakness she showed, the more protected she believed she and her family would be.

"I... I wouldn't be half as upset if it were the inquisitors hunting us down and stringing our corpses," she mutters back, absently grasping at his forearm and its white fabric. She squeezes tightly, as if she were afraid the angel would disappear into the mists, as mythological angels tended to do. "At least for that, we knew what to expect. All of this... sand, angels, monsters, all of this is just so strange. But... I don't think you'll be able to save every human in this world. There are so many. It's an unrealistic ideal, even for an angel."

She paused at the end of her thought, counting ten heartbeats and looking back towards the shop.

"Thank you," she finally says, and follows Arch's pace as he prepares to depart. "Let's leave."

~~~

Stan -- Clock shop

He was unsure if he was going to get an answer, and he was caught by surprise when his phone's speaker began to crackle. He closed his eyes, furrowing his brow in concentration, trying to make out the words from the static:

"̛͜͡... ̶͝ŕ́͘͝ȩ́t͏̨̨̛́ų̕͘͞҉r͏͏͢͡͝n̷̢͝e̶̡͘d҉͏ ̶͝t̴͜͢͡o̶̶͢͏ ̢͘҉t̨́h̵҉e̶̛͟͡ ͝G͘͏á̡̛t͡e̢w̕͢à̧͠y͟;̢͜͠ ҉̸t́͝҉h͘è̕͢ ̶́͞ḿ̨͠a̵̶̕͠n҉̴̷̛ ̡̧͢͟c̸҉̷̕a̡͝r̶̷r̨͜y̡̛i͟͢n͝҉g̴̛̕ ̛͡t͜҉̷͢͏h͏̴̕͠e̛͜͝͡͡ ̢̢̛͡͝a̵̶͢͏ǹ̵̨́ç҉̀h͏͜ó̧̨͝r̸̨̛͞ ̸i̷̢̕͡s̷͜͜ ҉͡h̷́͜ȩ͟͡r̶ȩ̶̡͜͝.̵͢ ̛͡҉..̸̴.̨͏.͜.̵.̛.̡.҉͠.͜͏.̴͘.͜͞.̛.̡ ͟a̧̕͜͝ś̸̀̕͜ ̸̶͏̕ẃ̸̨̧ȩ̶͘҉l͘͝͠͡l̶̶̡͟,́͜͞ ̷̨͟a̸͢͜ń́͢͜͝d͘̕ ̢̨̕͢͠ţ̨͞͠h̢͢ȩ̸̧̀͜r̵̴e̡͢͝͝ ̴̡a̷̴͘r̀͢è̶̡͞ ͡ḿ̧͘͡a̵͡n̨̛͟͝y҉͘͟ ̵ą̨͜m̸̡o̷̧r̶̛͞p̕҉h̴͡͠o͝҉̶u̵͏̸́͠s̡̧̛ ̷̨c͟͠͞r̡ea͢t̸̢u̸͘͢ŗ͘e̵s̷̀͠ ̴̵̢́a̧̕͞r͜҉ó̵u̕͏̸̀͘ǹ̵͟d̷̸́͠ ̨͟t̀h̛́͝è̴̴͞ ̕͢҉͜t̡è͝l̀e͘͝p̀́͟o͟ŗt͡ ̷̕͜g͏̶̨͘a̛͢͜t̡̀̀e͜҉̡.̧͝͡҉"̛͢

He had only caught something about a gateway -- being back at The Gateway? The voice didn't sound too urgent and it seemed to be Cistina's. Reluctantly, he accepted the conclusion that she was in no real danger at the moment. Not anymore, at least.

"If you're back at base, that's good. We're getting Duke and coming back as soon as possible with the other anchor," he replied, uncertain if all of his message went through the cross-dimensional connection.

Edited October 2, 2018 by TehUltimateMage

skwerl56767 · October 2, 2018

[Mage, Skwerl] Is This Good or Bad?

The inquisitor approached the strange moving construct rather calmly, taking each step with a comfortable sense of purpose. Fiddlesticks' silhouette shone bright blue within its spotted, metal-sensing vision, a moving block of metal on silts that was... hollow? It had never seen anything like it, not even within the Lord Ruler's personal collection nor any of his creations. The city had been assailed with scattered cases of other strange creatures, but those were organic, puppets made from bones and skin. The Steel Ministry had been running its own investigation on the origins of the strange affairs, and Prelan Kar had ordered the immediate elimination of any of those hostile monsters before they could upset those stupid, oblivious nobles. These were tense times... Even the Lord Ruler himself seemed distant lately, spending more and more time in his chambers alone and gathering strength.

This one creature it was approaching was a tall, tall figure of steel and other alloys, nothing like the previously encountered foreign threats, and it was letting off a soft, idling hum. More importantly, it was staying put instead of attacking on sight. That thing's only crime was frightening skaa -- which was typical -- and wandering dangerously close to Kredik Shaw. The inquisitor lifted its chin and quietly circled the machine, curious.

Fiddlesticks quieted as the person came closer and closer. He didn’t say anything, but she could distinguish now that the shoulders made him look like a man, and she didn’t see any extra appendages or weird colors. The silence was atypical though. Usually people ran at her yelling something, if they weren’t running away. Or maybe this was like the situation with the scientists?

Those human scientists still made her wonder if most people were okay with new things or not. They didn’t panic nor attack, but were unusually calm and observant, like this man. He had begun circling her, still looking at her with metal eyes. Maybe they were an obtuse form of eyeglasses or prosthetic? It was too bizarre, how direct he was, but he hadn’t done anything yet…

She kept a direct eye on him, never letting him stray too far from her peripheral. He was way too close now for turret fire, but as long as he was in front of her a quick bayonet swipe could dispatch him should he try anything funny. At the same time, she was too curious about the man to counter if he did attack. He wasn’t a civilian, or a police officer, or a soldier… he didn’t have weapons, or the same ragged clothing as the people she had startled earlier… he must be a scientist, right?

Finally, Fiddlesticks gave the circling man a quick scan, the red light gleaning data from him. Skin, ink, metal, cloth… nothing she hadn’t already seen. There were extra metal pieces in the man’s neck and shoulders too, and three down either side, but their placement was beyond practical, so they couldn’t be some kind of device… maybe adornments, but who would want metal in the back of his neck? An anomaly showed up in his eyes too, but it wasn’t an electrical current like she had suspected. Her computer couldn’t make anything of it... some kind of wave??

The golem's front was also made of metal parts, like everything else. Through that, the inquisitor could see the interlocking parts shift and follow his movement. How curious. Unafraid of the creature's weapons, he slowly waved, reaching upwards and passing a hand over the sightline of that 'eye'.

"Hello?" he greeted.

Fiddlesticks watched the hand move in front of her with fascination. The man was so calm! It was almost like he knew what she was, or at least was familiar with machines. That was unusual, considering how archaic everything looked... now that she thought of it, she has only seen one of him, and if he was okay with something as unusual as herself... was he teleported too?

Don't assume things, she reminded herself, this man could have come from anywhere and have any intentions. She shifted in place, tilting her head at him. But should I be worried about him?... Well, it’s nothing two quick bites can’t fix, right?

After several long seconds of caution, the mech finally echoed back, "Hello." She scanned him again, suspecting she missed something about him, but the results came back the same and the strange "radio waves" still hung around his eyes. So far, he seemed pretty harmless, and he sounded more normal than he looked. "Do you know where this is?" she asked him, withholding the urge to tell him too much right away.

At her greeting, the inquisitor raised his eyebrows in an incredibly human gesture -- despite the soulless, inhuman eyes. Not only could the metal construct track movements, but it also spoke perfectly in a feminine voice. "Canton of Resources, Luthadel," he answered. If it didn't know where it was, there was no point in asking it why it was here, so in an authoritative tone he asked a different question: "How did you arrive here?"

"Can't-ton?..." Fiddlesticks mused quietly, turning to look at the building behind her, "Like canteen?" She wasn't sure what exactly that meant, but "resources" made her suspect the building - or at least this area - was some kind of sprawling warehouse. That was good to know, in case she's stranded for too long and needs to find fuel before she has to resort to bones again... that wouldn't be the best way to introduce herself. Judging from the answer, "Luthadel" could be the city, the land, or even the name of whatever nation she was in. She didn't recall any Earth cities called Luthadel.

She grazed one bayonet tip over the other in thought when the strange man asked where she came from. How very direct of him. She was hoping to learn a bit more about him or this city so she had time to decide whether or not she could trust him; now she was pressed for an answer she didn't want to give. Last time she tried to withhold information though she ended up overheating like an idiot... she could try again and hope for a better result, but what was the point? If he was a traveler too then it's not like her answer would surprise him. There was also the possibility though that he was native and didn't expect random people to be teleporting in; if that was the case, mentioning she had lost two other people in transport would be a bad idea. Right now she didn't know what was more likely... Did he look like he fit in?..... Sort of...?

She decided to go with an ambiguous answer: "I appeared in a fountain. And broke it. I would have fixed it but I'm not very good at that." She tacked on the explanation in hopes that the man wouldn't be mad at her; she couldn't control what she teleported into, right? Besides, she didn't really want to fix the fountain anyway.

She stared at him a bit longer, still perplexed about how he could see her, which was exactly what it looked like he was doing. "Are you an engineer?" she finally asked, "Why do you have steel in your eyes?" She sat down so she was at eye-level with him. “You don’t look like you work with machines, but you seem to know what I am. Everyone else just ran away when I showed up.”

Which fountain? Did it mean the bridge? The creature of metal spoke with the innocence of a child and rained questions on him. All of those questions had highly classified answers that he did not want to risk her parotting to anyone, so he simply said, "It's a secret."

Close up and at eye level with the mech, the inquisitor's steelsight showed that it was hollow inside, with intricate metal mechanisms that seemed to allow its parts to move like the tiny parts of a watch. "I keep order in this city. Usually people run away from me."

Sent on a mission to eliminate otherworldly threats, and now he was speaking with one of them? Scoffing internally, he burned his brass to crush her curiosity and activated his duralumin. In a burst of explosive power, that metal's reserves were used up all at once. It was a pulse -- equivalent to the ancient strength of Mistborn from a thousand years ago -- that could send any living being into a depressed stupor, piercing even the protection of copper. It was the kind of pulse used to take control monsters made from hemallurgy, and the same kind the Lord Ruler used to snap his Inquisitors back into line when he needed to.

The metal thing, however, didn't seem to have any reaction to the Soothing effect, at least not outwardly. Given its... naivety, the inquisitor asked the machine, "Did you feel anything just now?"

Fiddlesticks hummed in dismay that the strange steel-eyed presumed-engineer didn’t want to tell her anything. Although, it was intriguing that he said he kept order. Her extent of knowledge about peacekeepers was Typheus, human police, and the human government; she wasn’t sure if the Empire counted, since it wasn’t the best at its job. If this guy was like Typheus, then whoa, a goldmine of an alliance! If not, it would be best to eat him now before he called for reinforcements… the question was, which was it? She certainly didn’t want to eat the human version of Typheus if he turned out to be that way, even though he ought to be useful, having both bone and metal.

Somehow that thought reminded her that she didn’t know what she was doing on this planet in the first place. She didn’t have a Plan B for when she discovered that this was not, in fact, Zirhon.

Pah. If Typheus were here he would be telling me how stupid I am, she laughed dryly to herself. Why does he think I’m smart again? It’s certainly not because I’m a great planner.

She averted her eye and pondered her next move, deliberately avoiding the idea of bonding with the man over people running away from them all the time. She was pulled out of her thoughts at his question of her feeling anything, which caused her to swivel around in bewilderment.

“No?” she said. Did something hit me in the head again and I didn’t notice it? I can’t feel light things… should I say that? Probably not. “What was it? I was thinking,” she excused lamely, “wondering if…” She paused. I should probably find an obvious landmark so Typheus can see me, she realized, There’s no way I could see him past these rooftops. Hear, maybe…

She had a zany idea. “Could you take me to the spires? Someplace up high? I’m looking for a friend, but this city is really big and I can’t stand up high enough.” She tried to look as innocent as possible, keeping her arms tucked in and her eye wide. Maybe the steel-eyed man would be willing to direct her to the spires’ elusive entrance? If he kept order here then he must know the streets pretty well.

The golem seemed to be as cheerful as ever, twisting suddenly and moving, humming merrily along and producing a sound similar to a massive swarm of flies. "...Forget I mentioned anything."

He pictured the looming towers of Kredik Shaw behind him, and that was most certainly where it wanted to go if it wanted the highest point in the city. A higher vantage point barely offered any advantage, though, because those half-breed skaa always managed to evade detection by hiding in their ratholes far inside those winding, dark alleyways. "I cannot let you into the palace," the inquisitor said. "Describe your friend. We can help you... retrieve them."

The mech dropped her guise to narrow her eye at the man. She has heard too many careful pauses in her short existence to think nothing of them. Now she hesitated further to describe Typheus to him, and second-guessed how friendly he was being.

“I don’t need to go into it…” she said slowly, her eye flicking up to the palace, as he called it, over his shoulder. “Just on top, somewhere. He’s pretty obvious.” She recalled for a second how well Typheus blended in with the human cities, which was surprising, and added, “As long as he’s not beside anything metal.” Although with that engineer with him, I could always look for spiky striped hair, too, she added to herself, remembering that Yusei had taken them here, but she didn’t want to give the steel-eyed man any clues about him since he is human. As mechs she was confident her and Typheus could handle any fights, but the last human-on-human fight she witnessed turned ugly rather fast. It would be irresponsible for her to tell him about Yusei.

Pretty obvious? This creature was being deliberately but understandably vague. "You may scale the walls of a nearby tower," he finally said, hands clasped behind him and steel eyes leveled at the machine. "But you may not go inside. I will accompany you."

He turned around and began to walk back the way he came. The path towards Kredik Shaw continued up at a steady incline, the hill steadily rising up and leaving the rest of the dirty city behind it. The hill was populated by an immense number of stone towers and turrets all pointing to the red sky with their sharp, gothic roofs, and all surrounding an equally intimidating castle that seemed to reach into the clouds themselves.

Already here they had a good view of the huge sprawling city below, where a million souls struggled and survived day to day. Here they could see the fallen Bronze Bridge, but the Inquisitor made no comment -- he couldn't see quite that far ahead of him.

Fiddlesticks felt a bit more accommodated when she was given permission to find high ground, although she found it interesting that she needed it in the first place. The man was certainly uptight about something, but it was easy to dismiss as her just being too unknown for him.

The stranger turned and walked up the street toward the palace, and Fiddlesticks stood up to her full height and followed him. The occasional skaa sightings ceased as they ascended the hill - its slope was so subtle the mech didn't realize it at first - and she watched for any other people on the way, but it only seemed to grow more desolate even though the dilapidated buildings grew cleaner, more orderly, and more ornate the higher they went. She noted how they also grew taller, similar to how Earth's cities had skyscrapers in their hearts; so this palace must be the heart of this city as well. Unlike the skyscrapers, these buildings were not obviously geometric nor had many shiny or vitreous surfaces; instead they had a dark, grim, sort of "pointy" style to them. She kind of liked it even though she knew brushing against one wall would ruin all of its meticulous details.

The closer the stranger brought her to the palace, the more it seemed to grow. The much richer district had wider roads and a more solid structure that only emphasized how grand the place was, and like its smaller neighbors, it was ridiculously ornate. Fiddlesticks briefly looked behind her to see how far up they were, and was surprised by the altitude: the city below them was swathed by a brown-grey haze that blurred it into a mass of dull color, slashed in two by a stripe of something wide and dark, like a river, and a red sun obscured by smoke hung over the horizon.

Fiddlesticks stared at the view for a little longer, able to see just beyond the city at some kind of grey steppe, but imagining it as a sort of surreal badland. It seemed too fitting, the idea that out in the distance, there was a maze of canyons and mesas, with angular plants clinging to the sandy crevices and lithium scarring the rock faces… but instead it was just a flat, faceless waste.

She tore her eye from the scene upon realizing that she couldn't hear the strange man's bootsteps anymore. She turned and saw him standing beside one of the many spires of the palace. She didn't see any guards around, but she also didn't see an obvious entrance, so he must have deliberately taken her to a more discreet place. Not that it mattered, with how little activity there was up here.

The man didn't say anything, but watched her as she approached the tower, looking up its length to gauge how far she would have to jump. It was a smaller spire, but she still needed to power-jump several times to come onto its roof... hopefully all of the stonework was as strong as it looked.

She calculated some compensation for an inevitable trajectory tilt, backed up a bit, and crouched down to tense up the hypercoils.

FWOOSH! A kick and she was off in a spray of dust! It was a smooth ride thanks to her "jumping pad" having been such a clean area, but she could see the thicker part of the haze rushing up to meet her. A quick scramble at the apex of the jump made her catch hold of some of the spire's architecture and brace for another jump, which sent her through the haze, but not all the way up; she was on too awkward of an angle, and trying to compensate for it resulted in her losing a lot of altitude for the sake of grabbing the building again. A third power-jump resulted in the same way, and she was stubborn enough to try a fourth before grumbling to herself and deciding it was safer to climb. She wasted sixteen minutes doing so, trying not to damage the decorative architecture in case it fouled up her escort's desire to help her (although she scuffed it up plenty). Her rubber tendons relaxed when she finally found a ledge to clamber up onto.

The machine made sure her footing was solid, before looking out over the city, flushing out her air intake. "Wow..." she murmured, partly amazed and partly disappointed, "I expected something bigger… it’s big for people with no automation, at least. Very pointy." She scanned the dark rooftops and their columns of smoke, which only blended them further into the landscape, searching for a telltale white shape flying around; he had to be flying, looking for her, right? Yet, the sky was weirdly empty. “Even all the way up here and I still can’t see Typheus..." she muttered to herself. She thought for a moment, entertaining the idea that he might be outside the city, way out in the ashy grey landscape, but she should still try calling for him, just in case.

Fiddlesticks peered over the edge, checking up on her steel-eyed acquaintance. She couldn't see much of him at this distance, but he didn't look alarmed, so she stared out over the city, turned up her speaker volume, and deafened her microphones as far as she dared.

  ")Q)Q))Q)))Q))Q)))Q))))Q))Q)))))Q))))Q)))Q)Q)Q))))?" she warbled. Hello? I am here!

  Several seconds passed… then several more… Fiddlesticks scanned the horizon, waiting for a response.
  ")Q)Q))?” she began again. She paused, letting the beeps echo out over the city. He’s out here somewhere, right?
  Another moment passed unanswered; then, something flashed over the dark stripe cutting through the land. Fiddlesticks’ ears perked up as she focused on it.
  A light! It hovered for a moment, then disappeared behind a building and reappeared on the other side. Then a visible blue hue cut into it and the dot shot upright, hovering higher above the buildings.
  “)))Q)Q)Q)))Q)Q)Q))!” she shouted at it, bobbing and waving her arms. The light perked up immediately at the binary. “Typheus!”

The light didn’t give her a chance to call again; it shot straight for her! One second brought it close enough she could distinguish the wings, then the second defined his eye as a yellow blotch on a red-light-stained hull, then the third made his thrusters a little loud, and the fourth-
“Stop stop stop!” Fiddlesticks squealed.

CLAAANG! He slammed right into her! Her processes hiccuped from the impact and she slumped in his hands.

  “Fiddlesticks! Are you all right?!... Fidds?! FIDDS!!”
  “I’m fine!” she shouted feebly. She halfheartedly smacked him with a turret. Typheus’s expression was stern, but a relieved gasp escaped his speaker. The fact that he was still hovering so he didn’t crowd her off the ledge didn’t keep him from hugging her. “Mmph!”
  “I was afraid I lost you,” he murmured.
  “I… It was just a hiccup in the transportation…” she said awkwardly, her hull starting to feel warm. It must be the thrusters just a few feet from her face… He pulled away, his face beaming.
  “How did you get up here?” he asked, “Aside from the obvious.”

“Well… I broke a fountain, and scared a bunch of people… then some engineer with metal eyes led me up here,” she summed.

“Metal eyes?”

“I think they’re bionic.”

Typheus stared at her for a moment. Metal eyes. The Inquisitors everyone was afraid of. He remembered Stan mentioning them prior to the mission ever starting. It made sense that something that dangerous would be wandering around looking for troublemakers, and Fiddlesticks certainly caused problems even if most of them were collateral, but if it was so dangerous, why would it lead her up here?

I can ask when she’s not teetering on a precipice, he decided, opening up his arms for her. “Let’s get you don’t before you fall and break something.”

  “I have shock absorbers, I can jump…” she mumbled, looking off the edge. He glanced down, noting how they were at least one hundred fifty feet up.
  “No.”
  “Ye-”
  “No.”
  “Fiiiine,” she groaned, batting at him teasingly. He half laughed, half scoffed, letting her tip into him, and he turned his thrusters up on full blast so they descended to the ground at a slow, safe rate. Fiddlesticks stared down at it past him, still feeling a little awkward.
  “...Hey, where’s Yusei?” she asked.
  “I had to leave him to find you,” he said.

  “That’s not like you. What happened?”
  Typheus hesitated, spotting a figure beneath them. Its eyes had a reddish sheen to them, brightly reflecting the shrouded sun over the city. He could see dark lines covering the person’s face, seeming to orbit the reflective metal.
  “...I’ll tell you later.”

Edited October 2, 2018 by skwerl56767

Mikasa361 · October 3, 2018

The voice was breaking up, but it was a response nonetheless. Now Stan could cut the crap and get to explaining himself. But he didn’t seem to look back at her when Cistina responded. Lara’s eyes narrowed and she put her hands on her hips, the universal sign of “I’m actually going to kick your ass if you keep up this charade”. But she took a deep breath- after all, if she exploded, Stan would never forgive her. And further, it was completely unladylike to do so. She was a lady, after all, wasn’t she?

Her heart started to pound inside of her chest. There was something about this that was nerve wracking, but… she couldn’t pinpoint why that was. What was she so afraid of revealing that she was this nervous to talk to Stan? STAN? Someone she had known for long enough that most of the awkwardness had gone! This was different. She was too afraid to be too vulnerable- after all, this was the man she refused to admit she loved. What if that came out? Ah, she had plenty to lose if all went wrong.

But would it? The way he had held her…. Was there something he refused to admit to himself? After all, he did pat her head RIGHT after he hugged her like he was afraid to lose her. No, that was impossible, she was…. just a kid to him, right? Men. Always giving mixed signals. Lara cleared her throat, but in a cool, collected voice stated,

“Now if you are finished, walk with me. I still need to speak with you.”

TehUltimateMage · October 4, 2018

Mika Mage collab -- We just gotta talk...?

"Alright alright," Stan conceded, putting his hands up and raising his eyebrows defensively. With both members safe, he had run out of excuses. Stan waited for Lara at the shop's doorway, after Arch and his entourage had vacated. He regret not asking the angel to take him instead, as the de facto... leader of the mission. "What's on your mind all of a sudden?"

"And by the way," he cut in before she could answer, looking at the lantern-like hourglass that was supposed to be an Anchor. "Can I take that?"

Lara sighed and handed it to him -- he nodded appreciatively. While she hated being cut off, she wasn’t quite sure where to begin. “Well, I have no need to hang on to it.” She wondered how she was going to say this to him. Was she going to be confrontational? Pin him to the wall by the shirt and start interrogating? No, no, that wouldn’t do. But she wasn’t going to be passive, either, no. She decided the best approach was to be blunt. “And… please tell me this as honest as you can. Why do you insist on treating me like a child? You realize you don’t pat a grown woman’s head, don’t you?”

There it was. She wanted to run off and hide, but she kept that inside. Lara had asked her question, it was time for a response, an explanation, something. Something. At this point, a simple “I’m sorry” would get them both out of the conversation, but that was not the Stan she knew. And she knew herself well enough to know she wasn’t going to back out of this, she was much too stubborn. Once she began something, she had to end it too. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wondered if he knew that too, how well he really knew her.

After all, he should’ve known that she didn’t like to be kept waiting, yet he kept her waiting for responses from the rest of the team. Of course Lara had worried for them, of course she did! But he didn’t have to keep calling for them. Had they responded while the two walked, that would have been a perfectly acceptable way to interrupt the conversation. But to avoid confrontation by using that as an excuse? Oh no. Lara didn’t like that at all. Henry did that. He did that all the bloody time, using excuses to put off important conversations. She remembered that clearly, avoiding the urge to make a disgusted face at the thought. Instead, her brow furrowed. She was clearly anxious, among her anger and her hurt, but her eyes were the only other thing making that clear. They always betrayed her, those eyes of hers. Going from frozen cocoa to melted fondue, they had to show everything she was feeling. Ah, well. Stan rarely made eye contact with her today anyway.

"That's what you're mad about?" He crossed his eyes and nearly stopped walking, in his astonishment. It was so out of left field that he started laughing, and so small of an issue that he relaxed his posture. "Of all damn things! Hell, I thought you were going to tell me something actually big and important!"

Important, like the end of the world(s), or the aftermath of a near death experience, or some vital information he might have missed. Not some petty misinterpretations.

"You realize," he parroted her words back to her, "that a headpat is a universal gesture of love and appreciation. You're reading too much into it."

Lara nearly snapped at him when he mimicked her. She grew silent for a moment, calculating her response. What was she to say? That it ****ing broke her heart that he’d resort to such a gesture? Or that it hurt to know that her feelings were now being pushed aside— Love and appreciation? Love? No, now she was reading too far into it. “Love, eh?” She snorted. “You’re right, I’m just being petty. I’ll just not discuss my feelings with you anymore, yeah?” She started to pick up the pace. No. No. She was not going to have an outburst. She was not going to be more vulnerable than she already was. No. No. No. He was making her angry, by not respecting how she felt. It was all just a joke to him, ALL OF IT. Her ears started to heat up with mortification and rage, but she refused. She had to keep control, no matter what.

"Since when have you talked about your feelings, anyway?" Stan snorted. "Miss always-keep-my-cool. Hey, hey! Do you even know which way you're going?" He called after her, but he also felt like he should let her go and cool off on her own.

“I have my tracker, ya daft git,” Lara snapped back, continuing to move and look at her tracker. She needed to cool down. He was too dense to understand, and him coming at her like that wasn’t helping. Her steps felt heavier than usual. So did her heart. She didn’t know what she needed more- to be held or to be left in peace.

"Fine..." Stan muttered. He grimaced, holding back a comment about how she only learned about the tracker less than five minutes ago, and let her go off on her own. He trusted her to take care of herself. Wasn't that enough? At the same time, it would have been a bad choice to split up again in case they faced trouble. If they didn't split up, they wouldn't have needed to go and rescue Duke...

...Forget it. He stopped walking, frustrated and slightly pissed off, and watched her go. If she's going to act like a kid for thinking that I treat her like a kid, then there's nothing more to add to this conversation.

Mikasa361 · October 4, 2018

Lara wanted to do many things. She wanted to punch someone, she wanted to cry, she wanted to run back there and tell him exactly what she wanted him to know. But no, that was not the proper time. Once she was a good distance away, she stopped for just a second, trying to collect her thoughts. That was the most childish she’d ever acted since… God, she couldn’t remember when she last acted so petty, but it had been before she lost Amanda, perhaps even before Henry left her. The truth was, it had been years. She was always much more mature than that. Stupid, stupid, stupid! You should’ve KNOWN what he’d say, Lara Rochelle! Now look what you’ve done! She did her best to hold back a scream. Ah, how much she bottled up. Stan was right. He was right. She was always focused on being cool and collected, keeping her calm in even the worst situations. STUPID. You stupid wench! You’ve gone and ed it up.

Of course she did. She ruined everything good that ever happened to her, whether it was significant or small. This could have been one of the best things to happen, if Stan so much as loved her back. There were so many good memories, even if he annoyed the hell out of her sometimes. Lara bit her tongue. No, she wasn’t going to cry now. She may have just messed up a good friendship, if anything else. But she messed everything up, didn’t she? She messed up when Amanda died. She messed up, she wasn’t a good enough girlfriend for Henry. She messed up when her mother died. Everything was her bloody fault, and it was happening again.

Emotionally, everything was crashing down. She glanced at a rock on the ground. Gritting her teeth, Lara picked it up and chucked it at one of the filthy rats that crawled around. The thing scurried off, clearly frightened. Ah yes, she messed up just now. But throwing the rock was cathartic.

She kept moving, glancing at her tracker every now and then. Stan’s dot was on the move, he had no intention of finding her and telling her everything was okay. Oh well, she didn’t need him anyway. Though part of her did hope that they’d at least keep things professional if they couldn’t mend after this. Oh, how silly, of course they could. They’d been through worse… Right?

Had they? Lara tried to remember a time that was worse, but she couldn’t remember off the top of her head. Maybe she was too busy being anxious to think of it, perhaps there was worse. She needed to have a clear mind to remember though. Perhaps when she knew things were okay again would she remember. And then she’d laugh at how silly this all was. That’s all it was, right? Just some petty drama. That had to be it. She was just going crazy. That’s all. She glanced at one of the rooftops. Maybe if she took to the skies she’d feel better. She needed to. Lara scaled the side of the nearby house and hopped onto the roof. The air was thick with dust, but it still felt better than feeling grounded down below.

Taking deep breaths and trying to think of other things, Lara continued onwards, feeling just a little bit better. She knew what she needed to do. She had to apologize to Stan, as soon as he and she were both calm. After all, it was her who got upset. He was just showing he appreciated her… well, past tense indeed if she ruined their friendship. She hoped not, she hoped that everything would be okay. Perhaps it would be. It was best to remain somewhat optimistic, but be realistic and remember that the worst could actually happen.

HomeForFlowers · October 4, 2018

Arch | Clockshop —> Grigor's House

Cam’s emotional inner turmoil was plainly evident by the expression on her face. Arch watched Cam’s trembling lips as she spoke, barely suppressing the urge to wrap his arms around her and whisper soft words of comfort into her ears. Years of living with Jane had conditioned Arch to leap to his daughter’s side whenever he saw tears brimming in her eyes, but he did not know Cam. He didn’t know what would make her most comfortable so he stayed rooted in place. When Cam feebly reached for his forearm, Arch inched closer so she could have better access to the fabric she was clutching between her fingers. Once Cam finished speaking, Arch offered her a small smile.

“Trust me, the deaths of those I cannot sage weighs heavily on my mind.” Arch’s eyes fluttered closed as he took in a shaky breath. “I have spent countless restless nights thinking about every mistake I made that cost lives and the utter unfairness of life, but—“ Arch’s eyes opened. “—worrying about the inevitability of death doesn’t save lives. I exist to serve humanity, not fret over it. I may not be able to save everyone, but so long as this body draws breath I will do whatever it takes to save as many humans as possible.”

Satisfied that he had gotten his point across, hopefully reassuring Cam in the process, Arch turned around and motioned towards his back. “I’m afraid I’ll need both hands to carry Badu so you’ll have to climb on my back. Don’t worry, I promise I won’t drop you.” Arch held still, grimacing slightly as Cam’s hand brushed against his damaged wing while she climbed up on his back. Once she was in a secure position, Arch stood up. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Stan finishing up a conversation over the com. Arch recalled Lara asking Stan if they could talk alone before glancing over at the other agents expectantly. Considering how impatient Lara appeared to be what with her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed in frustration, Arch thought that departing as soon as possible would be best for everyone.

Arch walked over to Theo and, with one last glance towards Stan and Lara, leaned in to whisper into his husband’s ear. “Try to get not get lost,” he teased. Grinning, Arch pulled back and walked to Badu. He picked her up with ease, allowing her to rest in his arm while he used one of his hands to hold the cube. Walking outside of the shop, Arch glanced over at the small blinking dot on the cube. It didn’t seem to be too far away. Hopefully, he’d be able to reach his destination in a timely manner. Making sure both Cam and Badu were securely clutched to his body, Arch launched himself in the air and began to fly in the direction of the flicking dot.

———

The tracker led the party to what appeared to be a vacant alleyway. As Arch landed, carefully putting Cam and Badu down, he noticed that there didn’t appear to be anyone else around. The alleyway itself was matted with sand and filled with an unruly stench, but the same could be said for most of the city Arch had seen so far. Glancing back down at the tracker, Arch stared at the big dot at the center of it. The tracker claimed that the destination was somewhere in front of him, but when Arch looked back up all he saw was the alleyway. It had to be somewhere down there, right?

Motioning for his companions to follow, Arch began to head down the alley being careful not to accidentally brush his wings against the grimy walls. He weaved through the corridors of the alleyway, stepping over dark puddles and occasionally checking the cube to make sure he was on the right track. Arch stopped walking as soon as the tracker let out a faint beep, indicating that he had arrived at the destination. When Arch glanced up, he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary save for a plain wooden door. If the tracker claimed that Duke was nearby, he had to be in whatever building that door led to. Arch grabbed the doorknob and tried to open it, but the door refused to budge. Arch frowned; was the door locked? Was someone keeping Duke hostage? Gripping the knob tighter, Arch forcibly pried the door open, nearly banging it against the wall. Calling Sherrkyle to his side should he find trouble, Arch scaled up the stairs of the house.

Thankfully, Arch’s wariness was unwarranted. Upon entering the only room in the house (it had to be the only room considering the lack of any door beyond the one he had just entered), Arch’s grim expression melted as soon as he saw the four men crouched together with a familiar cube being held by one of them.

“Greetings gentlemen,” Arch said kindly with a gentle smile. He placed a hand on his chest and bowed to them. “Forgive me and my companions for the intrusion. I can assure you I mean no harm.” Straightening himself, Arch held out the cube in his hand in an attempt to placate any worries the men might have. “My name is Arch. As you can see, I’m from the same organization as Duke. I’ve been sent here to retrieve Duke and his companion. We need to regroup before taking any further actions.”

TehUltimateMage · October 7, 2018

#Arch, Theo, Badu, Jowan, Duke#

Despite herself, Cam felt an overwhelming joy while they were soaring above the city on the angel's back. The wind was in her ears and she was grinning -- and thankfully, nobody was able to see her smile at the landscape. Even perched on roofs, she had never seen all these skaa houses from this angle! They looked like little square clusters arranged in triangles, and they were punctuated by much bigger and pointier noble properties. The big streets traced straight lines through Luthadel, while the smaller streets seemed to swirl and get lost within the buildings. Usually this kind of thing was reserved for an Ironpuller's more useful counterpart, the Steelpusher. She envied them and their ability to soar hundreds of feet using the metal of a single coin, because all iron burners like her could do was pull themselves up to a spire and then accidentally get impaled by its spikes.

The flight was much too short for her taste, but she understood that they did have a certain sense of urgency to what they were doing. The slums here were unfamiliar to her and that put her a little on edge. She followed Arch quite closely, yearning for the protective canopy of his wings but only ended up nearly tripping into them.

They ended up at a nondescript door that she might have easily dismissed either because of its hidden location, or its downplayed entrance camouflaged in soot. It didn't matter much, because Arch simply forced it open and entered.

Cam spared a glance at the robed woman with goggles (the doctor?), who just shrugged and followed the angel up the stairs. Cam followed as well, so as to not be left behind.

~~~

Rattle rattle.

Grigor froze. He looked like a startled prey animal, tilting his head to listen for the noise he heard. He raised a finger at Dynarst to demand silence, and it took a split second for the other man to understand that suddenly, something was very, very wrong.

Whatever was having trouble with the doorknob didn't bother figuring it out, as a slam -- the sound of something hitting the door -- immediately followed, causing both men to jump and the woman tending the soup to nearly drop what she was holding. Dynarst's heart threatened to flee his body, while Grigor cursed to the Lord Ruler's name under his breath and grabbed Jowan's uninjured arm.

"Climb to the roof and run," he hissed to the magical, firemaking man, all while pushing him towards the window and ushering him through it. "If lucky, at least you won't be caught in the slaughter."

Once Jowan was mostly outside, Grigor himself was already halfway through the opening. He looked back, to urge the others to come and save themselves before--

Dynarst had his mouth open, ready to scream, but the form climbing the stairs was neither the straight-backed and sharp silhouette of an inquisitor, nor the heavy shadow of an armored guard. It was a familiar four-winged shape, and perhaps the only one of its kind in the city. Dynarst hadn't met this friend of the Duke's personally, but, if he and his entourage were friends with Lefevre, then there was no danger to be afraid of.

Still, it was hard to override his frantic panic so quickly. He wanted to tell the winged man that Duke was right here, but no words came from his mouth. Instead, he simply pointed in the direction of the agent's sleeping form, with its black uniform wrapped in a white cape. He made eye contact with a skaa who was accompanying them, and she stared back with tight lips, unimpressed.

ValidEmotions · October 7, 2018

~~Yusei~~ | Monsters Inside and Out

She really was still just a child. Fate, unfortunately, exposed her to more than she should have been dealt. He knew that well enough. "And you only use iron," he commented with a faint nod in her direction. Yusei wouldn't share Elise's secret; she was safe from him. "Lady Elise," the man started, making as much use of Nitro Warrior's distraction as he could. "You don't have to thank me," he murmured. He studied the subtle slump in her shoulders, his expression neutral. Yusei wanted to do more for her, yet he didn't know what. And Nitro Warrior was beginning to lose the guards' collective attention.

The same guard from before caught his gaze. Glancing once more at Elise, the man slipped away from the girl and strode towards the guard. "You know something?" he inquired softly, to which the guard nodded slightly.

"Ya know the Koloss, right?" The guard squeezed one eye shut and scratched his beard, reconsidering his words. "Well, you probably don't, but they're these huge hulking blue monsters shaped like people that rampage outside of the city sometimes. Lord Ruler made 'em and controls them, so people say. These sand monsters... Maybe the Lord Ruler made 'em too (though only he'd know). They're as strong and as unkillable as Koloss, and they're within the city walls. Except where a Koloss would have muscle, they have nothing but dried skin and bone. Sometimes we have to fight 'em. They bleed the sand."

Another guard cut in, voice but a whisper, stepping close to Yusei. "People say the sand you speak of is a form of the Lord Ruler's retribution, which seeks out liars and thieves, noble or skaa, and turns them into these mindless creatures. It seeps through cracks and through the water, like mist or ash, to corrupt its targets, so you better watch out."

"Pure mistfarts, Jaheim," scoffed a third guard, disrupting the hushed conversation. "Don't listen to him and his superstitions, Sir Yusei. The Lord Ruler can kill someone in sixteen different ways, and that's not counting His bare hands. Why would He need to resort to something we now know is not from this world?"

Yusei's blue eyes shifted to each guard as they spoke up, his neutral features shifting faintly as the corner of his lips curved downward. The presence of monsters was worrisome, both outside the city and apparently within. Folding his arms across his chest, he focused his gaze upon the ground, mulling over the implications. A heavy footstep landed nearby, Nitro Warrior grumbling briefly as it flexed its arms; it could kill these "unkillable" beasts, just wait. Yusei shut his eyes, unfolding his arms so he could raise his right hand up and touch Nitro Warrior's wrist. Similar to Stardust Dragon, the creature dissolved into a sprinkling of light and the man returned its card into his deck, the glow of his Mark fading again. "Thank you for the information," he finally said after a few moments more.

It was concerning, the knowledge of a tyrant thriving from the potential slaughter of innocents. It didn't settle well in his chest but there wasn't a way for him to deal with the matter, without first seeing for himself and confirming anything of what the guards shared. Yusei hoped that Stan and the others were making progress in their mission. Before he could think to do much more, he would need to regroup with Typheus; maybe the silver machine had found Fiddlesticks by now.

"Mr. Fudo?" Turning his head, Yusei lowered his gaze to meet Elise's.

TehUltimateMage · October 13, 2018

#Yusei#

"Mr. Fudo," Elise repeats again. She had approached and wanted his attention again, now that he seemed to have found what he was looking for from the guards. She couldn't really hear what they were whispering about, but Fudo stood, pensive, before dismissing his green golem. Skaa always seemed like they had something to hide, but today, she would forgive them for trying to keep undisclosed from the nobility whatever they were reporting. It was probably nothing but superstition, anyway.

"I just want to know, will you return to us sometime?" she says in a small voice, holding her shieldbearing hand over her heart. "Tonight, preferably. Thanks to you, we can still run the ball, and it would be my pleasure to have you as a guest of honor." The noblewoman feels her face heat up in a blush and grimaces, covering the bottom half of her face with a hand and trying to force the feeling away. Fudo Yusei -- he was like a prince from elsewhere, straight from the storybooks. And she, herself, was befit for a princess, no?

The offer was already out, but now she was having second doubts about bringing him to the Erikeller dance. Father wouldn't approve, and she didn't know how the other houses would react to someone who looked like a ruffian joining their elite and pretentious circles. "Or maybe..." she whispers, halfhearted. "Take me with you?"

And then, she immediately changes the topic. She didn't want to dwell on the outrageous suggestion for too long. "Look out for the Steel Inquisitors... Steel-eyed with shaved heads, they are not hostile to the nobility -- most of the time -- but they do not like outsiders. It's said that in addition to their rapid healing, they have all eight allomantic abilities."

ValidEmotions · October 13, 2018

~~Yusei~~ | A Feather for Peace

"I just want to know, will you return to us sometime?"

She was nervous about something. Yusei watched Elise as her face seemed to gain color before she hid behind her shield and fell silent. He continued to watch her, waiting as it appeared she had more to say. Casually, he unfolded his arms and stuffed his hands into his pant pockets. Finally, the rest of her words came as he thought they might, barely drifting on a whisper that he leaned a little closer to be sure he heard accurately.

An invitation as a guest... The offer coaxed a smirk to play at the corner of his lips, even as the young woman quickly switched gears. A fraction too loud, a pace too fast. Something left her unbalanced and the duelist wondered about the impression he might be leaving. He decided to use her change in topic, first. "You've explained two of the Allomantic abilities. Will you tell me about the remaining six? I think I may need to be prepared for what to expect," the man commented.

She seemed glad that he asked. Her expression had softened. No more political games -- though she did lean in and quiet her voice. "Each allomantic power has its opposite. Iron pulls metals towards you, while steel pushes metals away from you. Brass pushes on emotions to suppress them, while Zinc takes a specific emotion and pulls it to the surface."

She counted on her fingers. "Two more pairs, right? Tin increases the user's senses, allowing them to see sharper and hear the smallest sounds and feel the smallest bumps. The inquisitors likely can't take advantage of the enhanced sight since, you know..." she puckered her lips, feeling uncomfortable saying it. "With the nails in their eyes. Tin's opposite is Pewter, which gives the user enhanced strength, stamina, and reflexes; though through what I heard, it seems like inquisitors aren't just simply burning pewter. There has to be another secret to it.

"The last two you don't need to worry about. Bronze and Copper are only really of use for Allomancers, and it doesn't seem like it can detect your magic. Bronze is used to figure out if someone is burning any metals, but it's really not useful at all since copper hides allomancers from bronze Seekers. And that's about it!"

He took in her explanation, committing it to memory. Noting her discomfort about the state of the inquisitors’ eyes, Yusei wondered about those ‘politics’ involved when individuals who could use all eight metals were discovered. The thoughts didn’t settle well but he refrained from giving any of them away. He hadn’t been an XDRS agent for very long yet he never really fooled himself into believing other worlds would be perfect.

"Lady Elise..." he started softly. Reaching for the deck in his duel disc, Yusei spent only a moment to find what he wanted before placing the cards back into the holder. Truthfully, he had been uncertain about his decision until Elise spoke up. Sonic Chick stared out at him from the face of the card.

Carefully, conscious of the guards gathered at his back, Yusei lowered himself until he rested upon his right knee. In the same motion, he gently reached for Elise's hand, the fabric of his glove brushing across pale skin, and pressed the monster card against her palm. "I am grateful for the invitation; it's been awhile since I've attended such an event. However, I don't have the right attire - and I don't believe many people would appreciate my presence," he answered, smiling slightly. His voice softened further. "I can't take you with me this time around. Will you take care of Sonic Chick for me until I return? I have a feeling I won't be gone for long."

Releasing her hand, he rose back to his feet and nodded his head. "Thank you, for the information and the warning. I'll do what I can to avoid them," he assured. Looking up and away from Elise, he searched for a way out of the young woman's property before the head guardsman cleared his throat and motioned for Yusei to follow him. An escort.

“Take care of yourself, Mr. Yusei,” Elise stated before he could take a step towards the other man. He smiled more with his eyes than with his lips. As he turned away from her and began approaching the guard, she spoke again in a much softer voice. “Don’t die, Fudo…”

Yusei didn’t think he was meant to hear it.

He followed the soldier into the building, hands once again hidden within his pant pockets. Yusei kept his head at a slight angle downward, only catching details from his periphery as they walked. The few people that he spotted watched him as he passed, curious about the outsider who somehow procured a guide through the large home. The guard paid them no mind, metal armor shifting rhythmically with each step as they progressed.

“The front entrance. Uh…,” the guard turned to him, words seeming to fail the man after the unusual encounter. “Good luck, I suppose,” he finally finished. With a dip of his head, Yusei strode past him and to the doors, stepping back out into the ashen world with the door clicking shut behind him.

Left, then right, the duelist shifted his gaze across the street and up to the skyline. Typheus had flown towards the right. A bridge was just visible in that direction, arching over the canal. He frowned and then put his feet into motion, boots stirring the layers of ash as he traveled.

Be cautious….

He kept his head down, doing what he could to maintain a low profile despite knowing how out of place he appeared. At least his clothes were battered enough to match that of most of the citizens milling about. Still, he managed to cross the bridge without incident (taking note of the destroyed bridge further down the canal on the left) but now he was faced with the quandary of which path to take. The road forked into three routes, the forward one clearly being a main street of sorts due to its width.

Here, also, he started to notice the slight upward curve of the land towards -

He wasn't certain what it was, exactly, beyond an intimidating-looking castle. If Typheus didn't change his route, then the machine would have flown towards the dark structure. Strategically, it made sense. Seek out the highest point in the city if you're aim was to search for someone.

An ill feeling crawled along his shoulders and he shook his head. No, it likely wasn't the best option to choose. There weren't as many citizens on this side of the bridge, though that could have been caused by any number of reasons. Still....

Something shot through the sky, generating a noise rather similar to planes back home. Quickly, Yusei spotted it and squinted, trying to make out what it was. Light glinted off its surface, obstructing much of the shape until - Typheus.

He started moving again, picking up his pace into a jog, and followed the road a few small blocks before altering his course. Veering left, he hurried down a thinner street before hooking right. The man kept going, gradually slowing his pace and eventually coming to a complete stop. There were no more buildings left to obscure his view.

It rose like an ominous presence, looming above the city upon the hill that supported its foundation. The sinister spires he could see only a portion of from Elise's property were now bared like teeth for his witness. He hesitated. He swallowed. He stepped forward, his pace a little less certain than it had been only heartbeats before. Yusei knew Typheus was here, he saw him land among the wicked spires. Maybe Fiddlesticks was here as well, it was the only reason he could sort out for the machine's appearance.

Something cold crept up his spine, slowly filling his chest. This place was... terrifying. He could all but feel it. Now he understood why there were no citizens here. Everyone was afraid. He was maybe halfway to the structure, nothing but open land surrounding him as he stood between it and the rest of the city. A lump formed in his throat. Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all...

His hands were trembling. Clenching them into fists he took several steps more, the weight in his chest only growing stronger as doubt became much more insistent. Flee.... He stopped again, looking over his shoulder as the thought entered his mind. He could do that. No one knew he was here, right? Perhaps he was in the wrong place, anyways.

A droplet slid down the corner of his eye and he brushed his gloved hand against it. When had he started sweating? Something felt wrong. What wa-

He shot his gaze towards the dark structure, towards its fearsome spires and angry aura. The structure.... A moment of clarity washed through his thoughts as realization struck. But only for that moment. It was almost like a blow, catching him so off guard that he swayed and staggered a couple of steps to the side. He brought a hand up to his face and shut his eyes. He was terrified and that fear, that anxiety, only grew with each step closer to the center. Why?

Something it's causing. A symptom of its existence. But what for? Why drive people away in fear?

He didn't know. Every nerve prickled with the desire to run away.

He lowered his hand, opened his eyes, and took another step forward.

TehUltimateMage · October 13, 2018

Stan -- Commercial District, On the way to Duke's

"You've been stressed out, lately..."

"I'm not meant to do this. I... I don't want this kind of responsibility. I'm responsible for my own actions, and mine alone. I can't worry about other people. I'm not meant to worry about other people."

Stan slammed a fist into a nearby wall, hissing in frustration. The toughness of the brick jolted through his arm and made his knuckles hurt through his glove. It was a tangible reminder that that limb was still alive -- a reminder that he was still alive, despite some days feeling dead inside. The pain helped him focus on the present, with its almost surreal-appearing ruins dusted with ash, so different from the white-bleached city he had known as a child.

The hourglass weighed down in his other hand, swinging lightly on its hinges as he held it by the handle. He asked for it back because he didn't trust her with it. Maybe he should have told her that to her face, because she was taking offense to everything he did regardless of his intentions -- if she were to act like this and cause discord on missions, perhaps it would be better for them to keep each other at arm's length. What happened to the person he liked to share jokes with? The headpat was a joke, wasn't it? Was her mock irritation to every one of his comments only her playing along, or was she offended this whole time? Why were they friends if she insisted on hating everything he did?

Why was he angry?

The hourglass swung, rocking like a pendulum. With no one on this street, its creaking joints sounded ominous in the air. Stan stilled himself. He hadn't moved, but the Anchor seemed to be gaining energy. Weird. He looked around, feeling uneasy, but dismissed it as his mind making things up to avoid having to think about the situation.

Until his whole metal arm slammed into the wall involuntarily.

"Lady doesn't know how to treat a guy with respect," came a voice from above. Stan felt a startled jolt in his body and his free hand instinctively reached for his hip, but his fingers grasped nothing but air. Right. Left the glock at home. His eyes darted to the direction it came from, up to a figure jumping down from a rooftop and landing lightly on its feet. The boy seemed no more than sixteen from his lankiness and too-big hands, but his features were sharp and mature, framed by dusty curls falling over his ears. While he was just as dirty as many of the skaa, his clothes seemed to be a step up from what the workers usually wore. He bounced from one foot to the other, as if bored with no outlet to his energy.

"Excuse me?" said Stan. It was less of a question and more of an exclamation.

"No wonder you posted a scout. You didn't even notice that we were tailing you for a good while now," the boy continued. He stretched his arms out, making a show out of reassuring Stan that he was unarmed, before crossing his fingers behind his head. "I wasn't sure if she was just pulling at my leg or something with her bare-thigh fashion, but I think I get it now. It's easy to dress up in an angel costume, but it's a lot harder to make the flight look real. Kudos. I'm sold."

Stan had a feeling that he was talking about Lara... and he realized that his anger was now redirected towards the stranger who seemed to act like he knew more about Lara than he did. He didn't like the way he talked about her in such a mocking tone. "Not that I was planning to buy you, anyway. Hell knows what kind of way she'd throttle me if I came back to her with you as an apology gift," the older man replied with his wit. Still got it! He smirked. "Yeah, we're looking to get these artefacts back and clean up the sand in your world. It's our job."

The teen shrugged. "Well, if she's taken, she's taken. I don't got a thing for older women, anyway. And by the way--" he continued before Stan could deny that he and she were a couple. This time, his voice lost its pep and turned dark. "Where are you taking Cam?"

The man was startled at the sudden mention of the name. Cam? Cam! That girl. They took her to keep her safe. She didn't mention she had friends or family. There was also the possibility that less savory types were looking for her, and that revealing too much might cause trouble for her down the line -- but Stan thought he heard a hint of worry in his voice. "She's under our protection," Stan replied, carefully choosing his words and keeping his description neutral. "Trust me, she's a lot safer with us than within the sands."

Edited October 13, 2018 by TehUltimateMage

Mikasa361 · October 13, 2018

Lara had not been too far, sort of slowly pacing Stan. She had wanted to go back down and apologize, but she figured Stan was probably too upset, too frustrated with her own bull that it was best to just meet him at Duke. But then she heard an all-too familiar voice and she froze. It was…. That kid she judo flipped off the roof- Lamar? Lamar sounded right. He was coming after Stan this time- had he overheard their fight? He had to have, because oh did Lamar have some lovely words to say. It's easy to dress up in an angel costume, but it's a lot harder to make the flight look real. What the bloody hell was that supposed to mean? Was she going to have to go down there and kick that child into his place? That tone he had when talking about her, she was ready to jump down and throw him down the alleyway. Then she could kiss Stan and life would be all hunky dory! Give me a break, Lara thought, If life were that easy my mum would be alive too. But for now, she thought she had heard enough.

Lara slinked to the edge of the roof, resisting the urge to take a rock and drop it on Lamar’s head. She was about to slip her leg over the edge and hang when she heard Lamar mention Cam. Oh no, I dislike her too… But she wasn’t nearly as bad. No, not even close. She was just snippy, not slimy like this boy. That was it. Lara started to hang off the edge, digging her foot into a crevice and beginning to climb back down. When she was safely on the ground, she leaned against the wall and gave Stan a glance. He was mad at her, sure, but he had been…. defensive. He knew she would’ve been upset had he brought her Lamar, but the Lord above knew she had plenty of bones to pick anyway. Why not pick one with the child?

“He’s right, boy, I almost died in those sands.” Lara glowered at Lamar, her voice almost a growl. “Whatever business you have with her, I’d suggest you leave and take it back with you.” She wasn’t nearly upset with Stan anymore. She had had a reason to be, but it wasn’t that deep. However, she had more than one reason to hate Lamar. So here she was, threatening someone. Man, she wasn’t going to have her own children, Lord knew how bad she would be with them.

But she was young, it was nowhere near her time to worry about that. Who knew? Maybe she’d one day be amazing with kids, but while she was young she wouldn’t be. That was what she knew first hand.

Briefly she thought of Evonna, who was all worried about finding her way in the castle. Was she that horrible with children, she would help Evonna find her room? She thought that girl seemed really nice, very quiet and very, very trustworthy. Maybe not the way she had trusted Stan, but…. perhaps could one day be close. Perhaps a part of her friend group. Evonna was an exception, Lara decided, maybe someone who can help her actually get along with kids. She was actually choosing to be protective over Cam, whom she assumed was also young. Perhaps one day she’d get there, just not yet.

“And by the way, not smart to start mocking me when I’m not too far away. That’s a surefire way to get your ass kicked.”

Eto · October 14, 2018

[ forced wanderlust : theo -- ; ]

Well.

He lost Arch.

His husband.

His husband, that he had just lost hours ago.

He lost him again.

Theo resists the overwhelming urge to split the sun into fragments and instead skids to a stop, blue eyes scanning the horizon. Where was he? He had been following Arch's form only seconds ago -- wings out against the sky, Badoodoo and the girl clinging to his nicely sculpted arms.

And now.

He was gone.

Theo scoffs, angrily kicking rubble from one of the roofs downwards as he scowls. Where did he go now? He is uncertain of the location, because he does not own of those cubes -- it belongs to his husband, whom he lost -- oh god he lost his husband --

Theo stares up. He does not want to be lost again, forsaken in a land that has moved on beyond his time. He is not ready -- to be abandoned once more.

Theo closes his eyes, drawing in a deep breath. No -- that will not happen. This organization -- and more importantly, Arch -- will not leave him behind, not when they have pledged membership to him so suddenly and gone about their mission. He has more faith in humans than that -- if Arch is to trust them so resolutely, then he will do as well. Mind made up, Theo decides to head back to the area they originally split from, as surely -- without a doubt -- someone will return once they realise he is not with them.

And if not, he will shoot lightning into the skies until they return to claim him.

Theo gathers himself, jumping from his current position to another roof with a much smoother surface for faster running. He shall return as soon as possible -- in order to ensure he does not miss anyone who may be confused as well. Even if it is the doctor or the peasant girl, he will accept any allies in finding Arch once more. As he runs, Theo skids to a halt when he realises he hears voice and misses the way chunks of the roof fall as he abruptly stops, jerking his heels into the material.

Theo summons his spears once he realises the voice is unfamiliar -- the enemy? -- but as the three people come within view the knight relaxes. Ah. He recognises these people -- two of the three, anyways. There is the man that commanded Arch, and his ... friend.

Whatever their relationship, Theo is not concerned. He only wishes to find Arch. This thought in mind, Theo stabs his spears into the roof beneath his feet and waits -- it seems they are talking, and if the newcomer is dangerous he cannot reveal himself too soon.

Only it seems the boy does not have any bad intentions. His posture is relaxed, friendly almost, but with a certain edge in his step that reminds Theo of the street thieves that always posed a pesky threat to his lady, way back when.

He does not like those who act friendly only for gain. He has spent too much time protecting Jane from the stares of men with only greed and power in their mind. Then, the woman steps foward and speaks, her posture obviously guarded, and Theo makes up his mind. This small boy -- whoever he is -- is an enemy.

He is fully prepared to strike him down, here and now, so that Stan may tell him where Arch is. Small sacrifices.

Theo stands, preparing to jump down and establish himself in the scene, but just as he pulls Legios from the roof he hears a crack, and then --

Oh, no.

The floor beneath his feet abruptly gives way and Theo just barely manages to avoid collapsing into the inner room by jumping upwards as the roof leaves his feet, but now -- he is freefalling. Directly down.

Theo has just enough peace of mind to withdraw Legios and the spears disappear in a spark of red lightning, running up and down along his forearms, before he comes crashing down on top of Stan.

--

Edited April 29, 2020 by Edelgard

TehUltimateMage · October 21, 2018

#Fiddlesticks, Typheus... Yusei#

The inquisitor observed the metal creature as it coiled its legs and bounced its way up the structure. More clumsy than any allomancer, of course, and taking much longer. Looking up, the farther the bot ascended, the less bright she shone in his vision. He considered following it up, but instead used the time to patrol the area a little. He doubted that she would find what she was looking for, which was likely for the best because big groups of unknowns meant big trouble. The inquisitor was uncertain if Kar, his direct superior, would even approve of him speaking to an otherworldly creature instead of immediately destroying it and throwing it into the canal.

The spot of blue above was joined by a second one, streaking through the sky at speeds never seen before, and moments later, both shapes floated downwards back to ground level. The second bot was very similar to the first: tall legs, hollow, with movable eye parts, but they did differ on several major details such as ear shape.

"I see... Your friend. Is also a metal creature." He didn't know if he should have expected any different. "You must leave this area now," he cautioned them both. "Now that you are reunited. Not safe." He didn't mention that he was the one who made the area unsafe.

Kredik Shaw's soothing didn't affect monsters like them. Since becoming an inquisitor, nothing had frightened him -- but this did, a little. At least he was fairly certain that the brown one's objective wasn't the Lord Ruler himself... but what of the white one?

He saw another shape, in the distance. Many teeny specks of trace metals, moving through space.

"If you will excuse me," said the inquisitor, "I have a duty which I must attend to."

With a burst of pewter-powered speed, the inquisitor ran forth and away from the bots. The man's silhouette in his vision had hair like a thorny plant and a billowing coat with bright metal buttons, boots with metal detailing, and... some sort of dull blade at his forearm.

With any luck, he'd run and realize how terrible a place the palace was. And if he didn't... the inquisitor licked his lips. He felt his side for the presence of his axe.

If he didn't run, that would be just as fine.

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X-DREAMERS [mission 01: ash and sand]

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